Tears From Heaven
by lost-day-dreamer
Summary: This fic tells about Sirius being reunited in Heaven with James and Lily, and how they watch the happenings on Earth below them. They will stay waiting in Heaven until all their friends join them...


Tears From Heaven

In the beginning, there were the four marauders, a bond thought to last through their childhood as well as through their adult years. They met on a scarlet train, smoke billowing to the heavens as it pulled away from the station. The compartments were filled with noise and chaos, with the occasional bang from an inexperienced wizard's wand. Some happy to return to school, some unhappy, each compartment was fit to burst with students. Every compartment that is, save for one.   
At the back of the train, isolated from the rest, a young boy sat curled up on a seat, his shabby robes spotted with tears and his battered suitcase lying in a corner. He wasn't sure how much longer he could use the suitcase; it would break any moment. But he had to use it. It was all he had.   
His reflection gazed teary-eyed at him from the window, where beyond was a forest of pine. He blinked, and his reflection blinked back. Inside, a longing rose within him to strike the reflection, to kill it so it's agony would no longer be. As soon as the idea came, it settled back into the pit of the boy's body, for he could not kill himself.

The boy looked away so he would not have to look himself in the eye. He turned his head, and saw himself staring back at him from another window. Panicking, he got to his feet and stumbled in circles around the compartment, searching for some safe place to avert his eyes. The quicker he turned, the quicker his face turned with him. Moaning with dizziness, he shielded his eyes and fell to the floor. What had he done to deserve this?   
"Go away!" he murmured weakly to himself. His hands roamed the floor like long white spiders, scrambling to find something to help him up. Whatever he did, he couldn't open his eyes, or else the monster staring back would return.   
"Well that's not very nice," a boy's voice said from above him. Rough hands seized him and lifted him up. Without meaning to, the boy's eyes flew open.   
"Sorry," he stammered. "I thought you were someone else."   
"It's okay," the boy with dark hair reassured him. "Are you alright? You look kind of sick."   
"Yeah, I don't like trains much," the other responded, not meeting his eyes.   
"Well I'm James Potter, and I'm a first year," said the boy with black hair and glasses, proffering his hand.   
"I'm Remus Lupin," the sickly boy responded, shaking his hand. "And I'm a first-year as well."

"Do you know what house you'll be in?" James asked.

Remus shook his head and gulped, trying with all his might to look at James and not his reflection. "My mum was a Gryffindor, but I don't know what my dad was, so I guess I could be anything," he mumbled, staring determinedly at James's hair, which was sticking up in different spots, but looked good all the same.

"Well both my parent's were Gryffindors," James said smugly. "The best house there is. Can you imagine if I was put in _Slytherin?" _Lupin shook his head and looked at the hem of James's robes. They were obviously new, and Remus felt especially shabby and poor sitting next to him in his torn and soiled robes that were probably millions of years old.

"That's why I feel so sorry for Sirius," James continues, shaking his head in pity.

"Why?" Remus asked, trying to sound interested. He knew that James was just trying to make polite conversation; he couldn't _really_ want to be friends with a monster like himself.

"Both his parent's are Slytherin." James answered, leaning forward as if he was revealing a huge secret. "Do you know who Sirius is, anyways? He's one of my closest friends, though our parents despise each other. "No, I don't," Remus replied, looking out the window. It was getting darker, making his reflection show up even more. He gulped and looked at the floor.

James opened his mouth to speak once more, but the door slid open, cutting him off. A tall, good-looking boy entered the room. His eyes were sparkling with mischief, his lips twisted into a playful grin, and his dark hair gently falling into a casual elegance. "_This_ is Sirius," James announced. Lupin nodded to acknowledge him, and Sirius returned the gesture.   
"Where have you been?" Sirius asked, sliding into a seat next to James. "I've been looking for you all over the train. There's a compartment of girls I'd like you to come see with me-they were single by the way they goggled over me."   
"Really?" James said, bouncing up in his seat.   
"Really," Sirius responded, running his fingers through his hair. "Who are you, by the way. I don't know you," he said, turning to Remus.   
"That's Remus Lupin," James said, answering before Remus could open his mouth. "He's my new friend. We just met."   
"Really?" Sirius asked, grinning at Remus and shaking his hand. "Any friend of James is a friend of mine. Now let's go check out those girls!" He stood up, and made to leave the compartment.   
Smiling at his reflection, Remus stood up to follow. He didn't look like a monster any longer. He looked like a normal boy, happy to be himself and have friends.

It was in the narrow corridor that the trio meet the fourth marauder; right in front of the lavatory, the three of them squashed against the wall as they struggled to make their way past a group of monstrous looking fifth years.   
"We're almost there," Sirius reassured the others. "Only a few more compartments left to---OUCH! BLOODY HELL, WHAT WAS THAT FOR?" he shouted. The movement in the corridor ceased, and all was silent. Sirius rubbed his head where the bathroom door had swung open and made contact with him.   
"I'm so sorry!" a chubby, mousy looking boy whimpered, looking quite unsure of himself. "I didn't see you there, honestly." He trembled, and several older students chuckled at him as they passed by.   
"It's alright," Sirius said, rubbing his head. "Nothing a little ice can't mend. What's your name, by the way? Are you a first year?" The boy grinned eagarly and bounced along the corridor, seeming quite relieved he wouldn't be beaten up.   
"I'm Peter Pettigrew," the boy piped up. "And yes, I'm a first year. Are you?" He looked positively ecstatic that somebody as "cool" as Sirius was talking to him. "And where are we going?" He asked, following the rest of them into a compartment.   
"We're all first years," James answered him, sweeping his hand through his hair. "And we're going to talk to some girls."   
"_Girls!"_ squeaked Peter. His eyes popped out as he bounced into the compartment and slid the door shut.

And so the Marauders became united. Over their years at Hogwarts, they would become more than friends. In fact, they were closer than brothers. They shared secrets and adventures, and were always there for the others to lean on.   
Remus, the werewolf, found himself with the best friends he could ask for. Instead of shunning him as others had done, his secret brought them closer together. Instead of dreading the once-a-month monster Remus became, they anxiously awaited it, for they too, could transform into animals, as they learned illegally to become animagi.   
Sirius found himself with a group of friends willing to back him in any situation. James was there to assist, and Lupin was there to advise and caution. Peter was the one to help in the planning, and encourage as he sat back and watched.   
James found himself with friends he could trust with anything. Only they knew his deep desire to date Lily Evans, until he was brave enough to ask her out. His friends would do anything for him.   
Peter found himself in awe. Never before had he had true friends. True, he was often ridiculed by the others, but it was all in good fun. They included him in all their activities, and he felt truly wanted; a part of something.

However close the foursome might of been, no story is ever perfect. In fact, there was a flaw so deep, so shocking, so terrible, it would result in death. Death of two of the marauders. They were living in a perfect Eden, but like the garden, their paradise had to come to an end. There was a traitor among them, playing the role of the snake.   
The snake slithered through the four, not even knowing the role he would play. As they grew older, his role became more apparent. Like the devil, he put on a kind and trustworthy face, one that tricked the group into supplying him with the Secret; the one that held the lives of three people within it.   
Once this Secret was within him, the snake vanished, leaving its mask of friendship behind him. He divulged the Secret, betraying those who cared for him the most. It was too late for them. They gave the snake friendship and trust, and he repaid them with death.   
Who was this snake? Was it Remus, the werewolf, who was so pleased to be accepted as he was? Or was it James or Sirius, the pranksters of the group? Perhaps it was Peter, who hero-worshipped the others and was so happy to be included. Only after the betrayal took place, would he be revealed.

Years Later

It was a chilly evening, and the sun was just setting, leaving a reminiscent streak of purple behind in the steadily darkening sky. Lily was in the baby's room, feeding him small spoonful's of baby food. He giggled and cooed as she tickled his belly. It wouldn't be long before he got his first tooth, for a swollen red bump had begun to protrude from his gums.   
The atmosphere changed. A breeze rushed through the open window, fluttering the curtains as it passed. Clutching her blanket around her, Lily rushed to shut the window. She peered out, as if to look for a storm brewing in the distance.   
After peering into the horizon for a few moments while rocking the baby in her arms, she looked down at the yard, which James had just mowed earlier in the day. A shadow was moving up the walk to the house, robes pulled tightly around the figure as it walked. "James?" Lily called as she leaned out of the room. "James dear, are we expecting company?"   
"What's that Lily," James asked, sticking his head out into the hallway. "Company. Did Dumbledore say he was stopping by, because-" she was cut off by a thud at the door. James frowned and walked to the front door, where he peered through the peep-hole.   
James whirled around, his face contorted with panic and fear. "Lily, take Harry and go," he said to her, sweat beading at his brow. "It's him! Go! I'll hold him off-"   
Lily knew this could only mean one thing. Tears running down her face, she took a last look at her husband before clutching the baby to her and stumbling out of the room. She did not get very far, for the door burst open as soon as the hem of her robes had whipped around the corner of the doorway. She shut herself away in the baby's room as maniacal laughter sounded from the living room.   
There were sounds of a muffled fight, a triumphant yell, and a body hitting the floor. Lily trembled in her hiding place as the footsteps grew closer. The door flew open, and Lily stood up, willing to fight for her son.   
"Not Harry, not Harry, please not Harry!" she sobbed, looking into her baby's face, where his green eyes, so like hers, looked up in wonder.   
"Stand aside, you silly girl, stand aside, now-" the man said, advancing to her as she backed into a wall.   
"Not Harry, please no, take me, kill me instead-Not Harry! Please, have mercy! Have mercy!" she screamed, her body shuddering. The baby began to cry.   
"I warned you, you foolish girl!" the man shouted. "Avadra Kedavra!" A blinding green light filled the room, and the baby screamed and wailed as he fell to the floor, cushioned by his mother who crumpled dead beneath him. The man muttered some more words, and an agonizing burning sensation whipped across the baby's forehead. A strange rushing wind whirled about the room, and then all was quiet.  
The baby cried unceasingly into the silent house. The man had left, but he knew something was wrong. His mother wasn't moving, and there was a terrible pain on his forehead...

Years Later, in Heaven…

"He's back," she whispered in his ear. A sunset was painted across the sky, engulfing the pale blue in folds of pink and purple. She ran her fingers through his hair as her other hand found his and clasped onto it. "Padfoot's back."

"I saw," he murmured. "It won't be long until they find one another." The sun sank below the horizon, and the couple's eyes were closed, watching a world so close to their hearts, yet so far away.

"Do you think he'll believe him?" She asked her, her forehead creased in wrinkles of anticipation.

"Not at first," he replied, sighing deeply. "But Moony's back, and he'll help. He'll help…"

"He thought Padfoot was the traitor," she whispered as a reminder. "He'll won't believe it.

"Remember the map; it never lies, and now its in his hands. He'll be able to use it…he'll be able to see…" He trailed off, looking older than his eternally young age.

"He doesn't even know what happened. He only knows a murderer is after him. He's never even heard of Wormtail." she continued, her voice breaking. The sky was a deep blue, and a lone star twinkled in the sky.

"He will soon, I'm convinced. How long can it be until he hears about it? The entire world's buzzing about Padfoot's escape."

"We'll have to see. We'll just have to see," she whispered, opening her eyes and gazing at the stars.

Two Years Later

Sirius was the shame of the family. He didn't get along with anyone, and was a supporter of "that horrid _Dumbledore_." He seized his chance to escape his family in his sixth year when he ran away from home and moved in with James. As far as he was concerned, he wasn't in any way related to them.   
Bellatrix Lestrange was, however, honored by the family. She strongly believed in the purification of the wizarding race, and even joined Voldemort's followers-the Death Eaters.   
These cousins had been kept jailed inside Azkaban Wizarding Prison for many long years, subject to the dementors' wrath. Sirius was imprisoned for a crime he did not commit, and Bellatrix was caged for the torture of two wizards while carrying out the Dark Lord's instruction.   
Sirius was the first to escape; Bellatrix, two years later. They came face to face in a deul, Sirius working to save Harry Potter, the boy who lived, and Bellatrix, working to help kill him.

They were deuling in the Death Chamber at the Department of Mysteries, where a dark veil stood fluttering in a nonexistant breeze upon a dais in the middle the room. The pair of them had been deuling for quite some time, and neither were showing signs of defeat.   
Sirius, ever the joker, laughed mockingly at Bellatrix. "Come on, you can do better than that!" he shouted at her, dodging a spell she had aimed at him.   
Seeing a weakness, Bellatrix slashed her wand through the air a final time, and this time, Sirius was not quick enough. His eyes were still sparkling with laughter, but the spell had hit, stunning him.   
The boy who lived turned around slowly, and watched as Sirius fell. His body, stiff and paralyzed, plunged through the air, his head disappearing behind the veil, then his arms, his legs, his feet...   
He could hear Harry screaming for him, but he didn't dare to open his eyes. He knew what the veil was for-what it did, and he was frightened to know where he was. "Sirius!" Harry's cry echoed through his mind, and he could see his strained face framed with panic as Lupin tried to hold him back.   
"Harry," Sirius whispered feebly, reaching out into empty space, searching for a boy not yet in that world. "Harry..."   
"Sirius," said a voice, much closer. He opened his eyes. "Welcome home." Sirius smiled, tears running down his face as he hugged James. Lily cried silently to the side, watching the two marauders embrace in their final resting place.

The trio of angels skipped merrily over the golden pathways of heaven as they caught up with each other. "Harry's growing into a fine young man," he said one day.   
"We know," Lily responded, squeezing James hand and smiling. "And he's dating Arthur and Molly's daughter now. What's her name again?"   
"Ginny," Sirius supplied for her. "They make a good couple." Nobody said anything else, and all had their eyes shut, all watching the same scene on earth.   
It was October of Harry's sixth year at Hogwarts, and he and Ginny were the only two left in the common room. It was past midnight, and Harry was helping Ginny with her homework. "Why do they give us so much?" she groaned desperately. "OWLS aren't til' the end of the year!"   
"You'll live," Harry told her playfully, tossing a scroll across the table to her. "There, I've finished your star chart."   
Ginny stuck out her tongue. "Well at the rate we're going, I don't think I shall live." she sighed and began to write on a fresh piece of parchment.   
"Well in that case," Harry said softly, looking at her in the glow of the dying embers of the nearby fire, "I will miss you very much."   
Ginny looked up, her quill laced between her fingers. She opened her mouth to speak, but Harry reached out and put a finger to her lips. "Shh," he murmured. She smiled, and he leaned across the table and gave her a tender kiss on the lips; their very first kiss.   
Sirius was the first to open his eyes. "Well," he said. "I see he's gotten over me already."   
"Of course he hasn't," James said. "That wound will always be fresh within him, however much he tries to hide it. Right now, he's just-er-occupied." He gave a little smirk as Lily giggled and pulled on his arm. "Well, erm, see you later then,   
he said to Sirius, letting Lily pull him away.   
Sirius waved and rolled his eyes. He didn't mind them leaving, for he had much more to discover about life on earth. Not only could he see the present, but he could see scenes from the past as well. When he closed his eyes for the second time, he found himself at Grimmauld place, a few weeks after his death.   
Remus Lupin was alone by himself in the living room, sitting silently by the fire. All the Weasley children were asleep, and Molly was in the kitchen washing the dishes. Remus sniffled and buried his face in his hands. Sirius felt his heart being wrenched. Lupin had always been the sensitive one.   
Sirius sat down on the couch next to Lupin. He patted him lovingly on the back, but his arm passed through as if Lupin's figure was made of air. Painfully, Sirius got up and made his way to the kitchen, where Molly was finishing up. She was unusually sullen, and she moved about it a jerky fashion.   
Finally, wiping her hands on her apron, she took it off and slung it over the edge of a chair. Slowly, she walked into the living room, paused to look at Lupin, then sat down next to him. She whispered inaudibly into his ear, gave him a hug, and walked up the stairs. Lupin smiled after her, but it was strained. Sighing, he settled himself onto the couch. Sirius watched until he heard Lily and James calling for him in the distance.

****

On EarthMarch of Harry's Sixth Year

Harry knocked on the wooden door before him and waited. Professor Snape had told Harry that Dumbledore requested to see him in his office. Harry knew something was wrong. McGonagall had cancelled all her classes and for some strange reason, a substitute had been called in for Hagrid. Harry noticed that all the members of the Order, save for Snape, were missing.   
The door swung open automatically, and Harry, feeling much like a machine, dreading some kind of ill news, moved jerkily inside the room. An empty chair was sitting in front of Dumbledore's desk, and McGonagall and Hagrid were standing nearby.   
"What happened?" Harry asked, his mouth dry, not wanting to be answered. Dumbledore peered at him mournfully. "What happened?" he demanded, a bit louder.   
"Tonks," Dumbledore said in that calm voice Harry hated so much. "Tonks has been murdered by Lord Voldemort." Hagrid blew his nose numbly, a tear glistened in McGonagall's eye, and Dumbledore buried his face in his long fingers, while Harry stared numbly ahead.

Tonk's funeral was held the 28th of March. A large turnout came to pay their respects. Tonks had been the first exposed murder of Lord Voldemort since he had been re-born. A new panic filled the hearts of the wizarding world with her death, waking them up and forcing them to see reality. This could happen to _them._   
Harry, Ginny, Ron, and Hermione were all excused from school to attend the funeral. Ginny and Hermione were sobbing, and as Harry tried to comfort Ginny, he couldn't help but feel as if a chunk of his heart had been torn away. He hadn't known Tonks as well as he had known Sirius, but was sad all the same.   
Harry and the other mortals attending the ceremony were not the only ones watching. Far above them, four angels were standing together under a cluster of evergreens with their eyes closed. Sirius had a pained expression on his face, whereas Lily and James looked sorrowful. They hadn't known Tonks, but took the most recent blow of Lord Voldemort's deeply.   
Somewhat separated from the rest, the fourth angel stood silently crying. It felt so strange to be standing among all her friends mourning her own death. Tonks let out a slight whimper, and Sirius moved over and put his arm around her.

In the days that proceeded Tonk's death, James and Lily became closer to her, like old friends, united in the midst of the battle on earth. Despite this, Tonks still yearned to be with her friends on earth. "It wasn't my time to leave," Tonks said, teary-eyed, as she watched the Order members have an emergency meeting.

It was obvious her loss was a strain to the Order of the Phoenix. "Who will take Tonks's shift of tailing Malfoy's wife to make sure she isn't up to anything?" Molly asked, trying to keep her face straight. It had only been a week since Nymphadora's demise, but the Order had to hide their emotions and concentrate on the war.

"I'll do it," Lupin said, a deadened tone to his voice. His face was more heavily lined than it had ever been, and throughout his hair, here and there glistened a stray white hair.

"But you're already covering Arthur's shift," said Kingsley, looking at Lupin, concerned. "I should do it."

"It's fine," Lupin replied heavily. Arthur's been extra busy at the Ministry lately, and so have you. All the pressure has been put on you and the other Auror's to find Voldemort's whereabouts. It was true. Tonk's loss had put an enormous strain on the Auror's as well.

"It wasn't my time," she whimpered again, her head on Sirius's shoulder. "They need me."

"Shh," Sirius murmured, patting Tonks on the back. "They'll be fine. It won't be long until the war's over. They'll be with you again soon enough."

Two weeks after Tonk's death, yet another horrible event took place. "Lily-James-Tonks," take a look at this, Sirius shouted furiously, his eyes closed. Tonks abrubtly stopped talking to her grandmother.   
"What is it, Padfoot?" James asked as he fed Lily a strawberry.   
"Something's not wrong with Harry, is there?" Lily asked, her eyes flying shut.   
"No," Sirius said shortly. "Look."

In a clammy prison cell inside a dark and dreary fortress, there was a swish of a cloak. "Took you long enough," Malfoy snapped, grabbing his stale bread and water from the prison guard.   
"Watch your mouth," the guard snarled. "_You_ are the prisoner, and _you_ obey _me._" He glared at Malfoy. "If only the dementors were back, I wouldn't have to look after prisoners in this ruddy place," he muttered, turning to leave.   
"Oh really," said an evil female voice from behind him. "Then let me relieve you of your duty." Her wand whipped through the air, and the room was filled with blinding green light as the guard crumpled dead to the floor.

Everyone in heaven stood tranfixed in shock as they watched Bellatrix murder several other guards who were watching over the Death Eaters in their captivity. "We had to expect it," Sirius said grimly. "Without the dementors, they were bound to escape." Tonks moved closer to Padfoot and rested her head on his shoulder.   
"It's really started," Lily whispered, her arm trailing around James's neck. "The war." James said nothing, but nodded.   
And so it had. With the Death Eaters' second mass break-out from Azkaban, there was an upsurge of the population in Heaven. It was quite like the period before Voldemort's downfall. The Death Eaters were murdering innocent muggles for apparently no reason at all, and the wizarding world was living in terror.   
Students at Hogwarts had the same fear, for their parents had told them what it was like before Harry Potter had triumphed over the Dark Lord. Susan Bones always had a mournful expression on her face, for one of her family members had been killed by Voldemort. Neville, whose parents had been tortured to insanity, was unusually silent, and walked around school with his nose in a spellbook, hoping to learn new spells to get his revenge. The only student who apparently had no fear of the Dark Lord at all, was Draco Malfoy.

One day, in Care Of Magical Creature's Class, Hagrid was reviewing with the students the properties of Dementors, and how to repel them. They had been over this in their Defense Against The Dark Art's class with Professor Vance, but most of the classmates thought it best to listen again.   
"Right then." Hagrid said, smiling at the group. "Yeh know what they kin do, but do any of yeh know how to get rid of them?" Hermione, on cue, raised her hand.   
"The Patronus Charm," she said promptly. The students who had participated in the D.A. grinned amongst themselves, as most of them had learned the difficult spell the previous year.   
"Good then," Hagrid said, beaming at her. "Why don't all of yeh who can do it, show the others?" Several students muttered the incatation, and gleaming animals of every sort emerged from their wand tips.   
Neville, who had never been able to get the gist of the spell, looked up at Hagrid. "Could you tell me exactly h-"   
"Oh please," snapped Malfoy, who had been lurking behind the others in the shadows for the past few minutes. "You could never learn that spell for the life of you, even if that great oaf knew how to teach it to you." There was a ringing silence among the students.

Hagrid staggered backwards as if hit by some deadly wound. He seemed too stunned to speak. It was bad enough when adults had been criticizing and poking derisive jokes at him two years back, but this was far worse. To be put down by a child was horrible. Hagrid might not have gotten as much schooling as Malfoy, or come from a pure-blood family, but did his authority mean nothing?   
Neville, on the other hand, decided it was his time to pay Malfoy back for every foul and cruel curse Malfoy had inflicted upon him. "It's time to pay," Neville said, his wand held steady in front of him, yet his voice quavering. "You - your father - those Death Eaters - my parents," he stuttered, closing in on Malfoy.   
"Yes?" Malfoy responded in a deadly whisper, grasping his own wand. "Do you have something to say about my father?" It appeared to Malfoy that Neville was not something to be worked up about; simply a bothersome fly buzzing around the otherwise silent classroom on a warm, humid day.   
"I do," Neville muttered, his voice no longer shaking. "You father is the scum of the earth, he deserves to die. And you - you're just like him, and deserve the same." He raised his wand as the class backed away, horrified. Even Malfoy was squirming against a tree, fear on his face.   
As Neville opened his mouth, a voice sounded, but it was not Neville. It was Hagrid, who seemed quite recovered. "Tha's enough," he said, looming over Malfoy. He didn't seem to notice Neville with his wand raised, a mad fury alight on his face. "You'll be gettin' a detention fer your mouth, Malfoy. Now let's continue discussing the defenses one can use against a dementor..." Neville closed his mouth and pocketed his wand, though his hardened expression was just as firmly in place.

As Easter arrived at Hogwarts, spring came floating along with it, bringing new life to the grounds. The trees circling the lake, once withered, stiff, and still, were blossoming into green life. Lillies and wildflowers sprouted from the barren grounds, and new grass, vivid and bright, replaced the old yellow.   
Spring in heaven was a most wondrous experience, far beyond that of on earth. Sirius, who had never been much of a 'nature person', found himself walking in awe around the heavenly world. Lily and James had grown used to this new, growing world, but were nevertheless quite busy, and left Sirius and Tonks to themselves.   
"It's beautiful," said Tonks, her hair being a beautiful chestnut brown, the curls gleaming drops of light in the early morning sun.   
"It certainly is something," Sirius said, reaching to pick a pink flower off a weeping tree. He picked at the petals and sprinkled them on the mossy ground.   
"It was never like this back there," Tonks said, sighing. "I can't wait until everyone gets up here to see what it's like."   
"Look," Sirius said, suddenly. For they had walked into a clearing with a large assortment of roses, from scarlet to ivory, traditional to climbers. He bent down and picked a deep red one and handed it to Tonks.   
"My favorite," she murmured softly, looking deeply into Sirius's eyes. He smiled, and they walked hand-in-hand through the rose garden.

The attacks on muggles increased as summer began to draw nearer. More importantly, the attacks were coming closer and closer to Hogwarts. "You can't think that You-Know-Who is going to-" Tonks trailed off to Lily, James and Sirius. "I mean..."   
"He can only attack Harry away from my sister's place," Lily said softly, remembering the protection she had given her son from her demise. "I imagine he wants to get it over with before the end of the school year, or else he'll have to wait until next year."   
"But do you really think-at Hogwarts?" Sirius asked, trying not to think of the possible outcome.   
"I think it's very possible," James said grimly. "We'll just have to wait and see."   
The four were not the only people to notice the unnerving pattern of muggle attacks. "What is it, Albus?" Minerva McGonagall asked, wringing her hands as she entered his office. Snape, Hagrid, and the new Defense Against the Dark Arts professor, Emmeline Vance, were already seated, and looking very sullen.   
"Minerva, please sit down. "Dumbledore started. "This may or may not come as a shock to you all, but - well, I've received several reports from Molly, Arthur, Lupin, and Kingsley, and with the pattern of recent muggle attacks..." Dumbledore sighed. "Voldemort's coming to Hogwarts. To attack."

As the threat of Voldemort grew, Lily and James felt more and more anxious about their son. "Will he be prepared?" Lily asked, teary eyed, one evening.   
"He wasn't prepared for the Basalisk or his deul with Voldemort," James reminded her, yet he was worried all the same. Lily nodded, trying to stay strong. "He'll do fine this time." James added, attempting to sound confident for his wife's sake.   
Unfortunately for Harry, he would indeed be unprepared for the attack, as he remained oblivious to the fact that Voldemort was seeking him with more haste than ever. The professors of Hogwarts were increasing the security on the school, keeping it unknown to the students what they were up to. Surely some of them noticed something, with the fact that they were not allowed on the grounds without a teacher present, but Harry didn't notice a thing. Ginny was making quite sure of distracting him.   
"Harry," Ginny whispered teasingly into his ear late one night. He jumped and looked around the deserted common room. Ginny was grinning at him. "Still up?"   
"Yeah," he said, closing the potions book laying open in front of him. "Snape set us a three-foot essay that's due tomorrow, and I'm finishing it up. I hadn't noticed the time."   
"Come sit with me by the fire," Ginny said, sinking into one of the squashy armchairs.   
"I should really finish this," Harry protested weakly.   
"Harry-please?" Ginny said, looking let down. He studied her face warily, and noticed for the first time how tired she looked. It was, after all, her fifth year, and surely she was feeling the strain of the upcoming OWLs.   
He stood up, and padded over to sit in the chair next to her. "Are you okay?" He asked her, looking worried.   
She gazed at him, then raised herself out of her seat and lowered herself into his lap. "I'm so tired all the time," she whispered in his ear while he twirled her crimson locks. "School is just so..." she trailed off.   
"It's okay, her murmured back. "I know how you feel." He stopped playing with her hair and looked her directly in the eyes. "Ginny-I-I love you."   
She buried her face in his shoulder, and Harry lifted her head gently to wipe away the tears. "Harry," she whispered, trying not to cry. "I love you too."

The next morning began as any ordinary school day might. Harry was awakened by the sunlight streaming into the dormitory, the rays dancing upon his face, tantilizing him. He groaned, remembering there was still one week before the exams, one long week until he would be free to enjoy the Hogwart's grounds without the burden of work.   
Neville was trying to put his robes on straight as Harry rose out of bed. "Morning, Neville," Harry said cheerfully, still glowing from the events of last night.   
"G'morning, Harry," Neville replied mournfully as he toppled over, his head stuck through the sleeve. Harry grinned in spite of himself and walked down the staircase to the common room, where Ginny, Hermione and Ron were waiting.   
"Let's get breakfast," Ron grumbled. "It took you long enough," he added as an afterthought." Harry smirked and winked at Ginny, who hooked her arm through his.   
After breakfast was Potions, and Harry was quite sure that he wouldn't be receiving top marks on his essay, for he had finished it in a rush at breakfast, and there was a great coffee ring across the top.   
"I will be collecting your essays now," Snape said coolly, waving his wand as the essays came flying gently to him. "Now today we shall be working on a new p-"   
Snape's oily ramble was cut short by a loud voice, which belonged to none other than Dumbledore himself. "All classes are to be terminated immediately. Students will see themselves to their dormitories, and all teachers will report to my office."

Yes!" Harry thought silently, happy that he wouldn't have to sit through yet another potions lesson. He gathered his things and left the classroom.   
"I wonder why classes have been stopped so early?" Hermione mused as she walked next to him.   
"Who cares?" Ron said happily. "No more Snape for today!"   
"What do you reckon?" A voice said. Harry turned around and saw Ginny had joined them. He shrugged and continued walking.   
"Hang on, I've got to use the restroom," Harry muttered, heading for the lavatory across the corridor.   
"Harry, Dumbledore said..."   
"Honestly, Hermione, it won't take that long. I'll see you back in the common room." Hermione looked affronted for a moment, then shrugged and left with Ron.   
"I'll wait outside," Ginny shouted to him over the heads of the retreating students.   
"Okay!" Harry shouted back, as the corridor slowly emptied, and he was permitted to make his way into the bathroom.   
Everything got quiet. Too quiet. Harry walked out of his stall, turned the cold water tap, and proceeded to wash his hands. There was a rush of footsteps. Harry looked into the mirror and saw the reflection of Ginny.   
"What the hell?" he asked, confused. "This is a boy's..."   
"Harry, shut up, and get in here!" she squeaked, looking terribly frightened as she grabbed him and dragged him into a stall. "I think he saw me!"   
"Who?" Harry asked Ginny gently, holding her face. "What are you talking about?"   
Ginny began to cry silently. "You-Know-Who!" she whispered into his ear frantically. "He's out th-" Her voice was cut short by the slow echoing of footsteps against the marble bathroom walls.

"I know you're in here, little girl," A high, cold voice whispered. "You can't hide." The footsteps had ceased, and there was the sound of a stall door flying open. Luckily, Harry and Ginny were concealed in the stall furthest from the entrance to the lavatory.   
"You'd better come out," Voldemort added, walking to the next stall. "I need your help with something. And if you cooperate, I might spare your life." He swung open the next door, and a bang echoed through the bathroom.   
"Harry," Ginny whispered shakily into his ear. "I've got to go out there! He doesn't know you're in here--I--I'll just go out there, and, and--"   
"No," Harry said firmly, keeping his voice calm. "I'll fight him. I'll--" Harry stopped in shock, for Ginny had just left the stall. "Nooo.." he moaned, holding his head, which was aching with pain from his scar.   
"Here I am," Ginny said, trying to sound as frightened and niave as she could, while leading inching towards the exit of the bathroom.   
"Good, girl," Voldemort hissed, following her. He stopped. "Why if it isn't Ginny Weasley," he added, as if being reunited with an old friend. "I   
_remember_ you." He grinned, most snakelike, at Ginny, who gulped.   
"Now we are going to leave this bathroom, and you are going to help me find another old friend. I daresay you know who Harry Potter is?" Ginny looked wildly at the stall Harry was still hidden in, and then nodded as she pushed open the door and led Voldemort out into the corridor.

Harry, fully recovered from the shock of what was happening, burst out of the stall, realizing the danger Ginny was in. Sprinting out into the corridor, he saw the retreating forms of Ginny and Voldemort. "Stop!" he shouted shakily, catching his breath.   
Voldemort whirled around, gripping Ginny tightly on the shoulder. "Harry Potter," he whispered, advancing on the boy. "Why I didn't even need Ginny, for you were so willing to come to me unasked." He stopped, inches away from Harry's face.   
"Sit," he hissed, throwing Ginny against the wall nearby. "And don't move, or else you shall pay." Voldemort's eyes never left Harry's.   
Blinking, Harry hoped Ginny wasn't hurt, and that she would get away while Voldemort was concentrated so hard on himself. "And now I shall kill you," Voldemort murmured, reaching for his wand.   
Harry whirled out of the way as a jet of green light shot over his shoulder. "Stupefy!" he shouted, clutching his head, pulsating with pain. Voldemort smirked, and Harry dodged out of the way once more as the spell rebounded at him. Chancing a look around the corridor, Harry saw that Ginny had escaped.   
"Foolish girl," Voldemort said, laughing. "For she will be the first to die after i gain control over the school. As we speak, my death eaters are accessing the common rooms and holding the students captive. Yes, she shall be the first to go. After I"m done with you."

Voldemort raised his wand, and was about to speak. "Not so fast, Tom." But it was not Voldemort who spoke-it was Dumbledore, his wand raised, McGonagall, Snape, Hagrid, and Vance standing behind him, looking shocked and horrified.   
"Go to your common room, Harry. I will talk to you after this," Dumbledore said calmly.   
"My death eaters are in every common room, Dumbledore," Voldemort snapped. "They will capture him, and I will receive him once more."   
"I am afraid, Tom, that your death eaters are currently being held in my office. So I presume the common rooms are quite safe." Dumbledore paused, pointing his wand casually at Voldemort. "Off you go, Harry."   
Harry did not get a chance to leave, for Voldemort, swearing, waved his wand. "Portus," he hissed at a nearby quill on the stone floor. It glowed blue for a moment, and before Dumbledore or any other could stop him, Voldemort reached for the quill and was gone in a whirl of wind.   
Dumbledore shook his head sadly, and turned to the professors. "Please visit each common room and make sure the students are okay, and that none are suffering from shock." They nodded and departed.   
  
Dumbledore then turned to Harry. "Follow me to my office," he commanded wearily. "You'll find Ginny Weasley waiting there as well. That was a brave thing she did." Harry nodded and followed Dumbledore around the corner.

Lily gave a gasp of relief, and James hugged her close to him. "Oh my god," she whispered. "That was so close. I really thought he was going to..." she trailed off, taking deep breaths.   
"I can't believe Ginny actually did that. It was so brave!" Lily said to James once she had caught her breath. "She was willing to let Voldemort kill her before betraying Harry. Ginny must really love him."   
"She does," Sirius said with a smile. "And it's what I would have done for you, but Peter..." he broke off, the horrible image of the marauder who had betrayed them all filled their minds.   
"Don't think about it," James said sternly. "What's done is done, and we'll leave it at that. In the end, everything will be okay."   
"In the end," Lily whispered. "Do you think Harry will kill him? Will he stand up to Voldemort?"   
"I have faith in our son," James replied firmly. "He will fight to the best of his abilities. But we won't need to worry about that now. He'll be returning to your sister, and he'll be safe."   
"Yes. He'll be safe," Lily murmured distantly, but lines of worry creased her normally flawless forehead. "Safe for now..."

With Harry being safe, and no imminent threat of danger on Earth, the marauders found lazy summer afternoons in Heaven were the perfect time the sit and reminisce.   
"Remember that time we levitated old Flitwick?" Sirius asked James, chortling slightly. "We didn't even get in trouble."   
Lily looked up at her husband and Sirius, rolling her eyes. She turned to Tonks, coughed loudly, and continued to help her with the flowers they were stringing together to make necklaces.   
"Yeah, I miss old Flitwick," James responded, flashing a grin in the direction of his wife. "I don't think he ever thought we were levitating him on purpose...I mean, half the class was levitating the wrong things anyways."   
"Like Lily!" Sirius laughed. "She levitated herself!" James joined in, laughing loudly.   
Lily scowled at the pair of them. "If I remember correctly, it was because I asked _you_," she said, pointing at James, "to hand me my wand. And you gave it to me backwards. I didn't notice, and the spell came out the wrong end. I got it right the second time around." She glared at Tonks who abruptly stopped giggling.   
"Not until after we got you down though," Sirius shot back, wiping tears from his eyes. "It was hell too, with the racket you were making."   
"GET ME DOWN, YOU IDIOTS! GET ME DOWN! HELP! I'M GOING TO DIE!" James mocked. "Honestly, the whole entire castle could hear." He grinned.   
"Shut it, you," Lily snapped, pointing her wand at him playfully. James shut his mouth, as well as Sirius, but when they caught one another's eyes, they both erupted into laughter once more. "Honestly, you two are acting like teenagers," Lily sighed, helping Tonks put on her finished flower necklace.

"Oh!" Sirius exclaimed, jumping up suddenly. "Remember the first time we got Remus in trouble?"   
"Yeah!" James responded, smiling in rembrance. His eyes closed, and in his mind a memory played, like a movie across a screen.

"Come on Remus, it'll be fun." Sirius coaxed. He, James, and Remus were standing together in the empty Gryffindor common room, the embers in the fireplace glowing with a faint light. Their shadows flickered eerily onto the walls, making them appear larger than life.   
"We'll get in trouble," Remus said seriously, looking from James to Sirius. "Why do you want to break into Filch's office anyways? There's nothing in there except brooms, I suppose."   
"That's because you've never been in there," James said, winking. "Me and Sirius here have been in there three times already, and its only the beginning of our first year."   
"So what's so interesting about his office, then?" Remus questioned further, irritated.   
"Because, mate," Sirius said softly, patting Remus jovially on the shoulder. "He has a filing cabinet labeled 'Confiscated and Highly Dangerous.' And we plan on finding out exactly what is in the cabinet."

Within ten minutes, all three boys were in Filch's office, although they hadn't planned to be there the way they were.   
"Three student's out of bed," Filch growled, eyeing the chains hanging from his ceiling. "Now why would three Gryffindor students be walking about when they could be sleeping?" Lupin gulped.   
"We were sleepwalking," Sirius said casually. "We didn't know what we were doing."   
"All three of you at the same time? Boy, don't get cheeky."   
"Well yes, you see," James added. "We're triplets separated at birth. And triplets tend to read each other's minds and have the same dream."   
Sirius and Filch snorted at the same time, and James shot Sirius a nasty glare across the room. Sirius shrugged apologetically, but Filch looked delighted. "Lying to a teacher, that'll make the punishment even better!" He rubbed his hands together.   
"But you're not really a teacher, are you?" Sirius shot nastily at him.   
"Shut up, you!" Filch roared, grabbing him by his collar. "All three of you, we're going to your Head of House." They didn't move. "NOW!" he barked.

"Ah..." James said, opening his eyes. "Good times, mate." Sirius grinned at him and nodded.   
James suddenly frowned. "Say, how is Lupin doing? He's lost all his best friends. First me, then you, and now Tonks. And now he's begun to regard Harry as his own son, and he must know the time for his final duel with Voldemort is drawing nearer."   
"I don't know, but I hope he is okay. I haven't really been watching over him like I should," Sirius said guiltily, glancing at Tonks.   
"Me either," James agreed, looking at his wife. "Let's have a look, shall we?" Sirius nodded.   
It was August first, the day after Harry's 17th birthday. The very air inside number four, Privet Drive seemed to be prickling with electricity. Dudley, Uncle Vernon, and Aunt Petunia sat together on the couch, their bodies tense and rigid. The latest muggle show was playing on the television, but the three were too nervous to watch.   
From above, came the hooting of a snowy white owl name Hedwig, and the laughter of two wizards. Perhaps this is why the muggles were so tense.   
"Harry!" Lupin said, chuckling. "Your room is a mess!" He grinned, and together they flicked their wands, cleaning the room. "You'd better keep better house at Grimmauld Place, or else Molly will be on your case.   
"Yeah," Harry said, laughing as he snapped his trunk shut. "I'll do whatever she wants. I'm just glad to get out of this place."

"Are you sure you have everything?" Lupin asked, grunting as he lifted Harry's trunk. "Forget it," he grumbled, levitating it. Harry tried not to laugh.   
"Well, I suppose I should say goodbye to the Dursleys," Harry said halfheartedly. "They might miss me," he added sarcastically. Lupin nodded in approval.   
Five awkward minutes later, Harry came bounding up the steps and back into his room. "Ready to disapparate?" Lupin asked. Harry nodded eagerly, for Lupin had taken him to the Ministry of Magic early that morning, where he had passed his apparation test.   
Harry glanced around the room one final time. He would never have to sleep here again, among Dudley's old, discarded and unwanted toys. Harry glanced at the window, where only a few years before Ron's head had been staring at him from a flying car. And then there was the cat-flap in the door. Never again would he have to wait, starving, for Aunt Petunia to push cold soup through it. Never again...   
"Okay," Harry muttered, grasping Hedwig's cage firmly. Lupin looked at him, and then they disappeared with a crack, reappearing in Harry's new room at Grimmauld Place.   
"I'll leave you to get unpacked," Lupin told Harry, setting his trunk on the bed, where the springs creaked beneath its weight. "And when you're through, come down to the kitchen. Molly's cooking you a birthday dinner, and we're expecting several people to come."   
"I can't wait," Harry replied enthusiastically, letting Hedwig soar out the window. He watched her for a moment, and Lupin turned to go.   
He stopped, his hand on the doorknob. "Harry," he said softly. "I'm really glad you're here." The door closed with a click.

Harry and Lupin were not the only people living at The Order of the Phoenix's headquaters over the summer. The Weasley family was as well, save for Fred and George, who were living in an apartment above their shop, and Charlie, who was still in Romania. Even Percy came to stay occaisonally, since he and the rest of his family had finally patched things up.   
Harry was pleased to have Ron as a roomate at Grimmauld Place once more; he didn't think he could stand it if he was left alone in a room with only Phineas to keep him company. Although Harry was happy Ron was there, he was secretly even more elated that he could spend the remainder of his holiday with Ginny.   
Grimmauld Place's backyard was bewitched so that no muggle could ever see into it, and was so large, there was a small lake and a copse of evergreens. Together, they would practice quidditch, race on brooms, and eat quiet picnics under the canopy of the trees. Harry felt as if he was living in a dream world. Vaguely, he remembered the prophecy and his foretold deul with Voldemort, but he didn't seem to care. Why worry when he was so happy now?   
One night, as Harry and Ginny were stargazing in the open field, Ginny rolled over on her stomach and turned to Harry. "I want to talk."   
Harry seemed not to hear for a moment, and suddenly his eyes widened. Nothing good came from a conversation starting like that. "About what?" he asked, trying to sound gentle and sensitive.   
"Us." Ginny said shortly, staring deeply into the emerald eyes his mother had given him. He gulped.

"What about us?" Harry asked, daring to breathe. "Are we...Are you...?" He looked at her, lost.   
Ginny waved her hand and giggled. "Nothing like that, silly. "I just want to know what's going to happen to us. This is your last year, and after that, I won't see you at all, save for summer vacation. It's going to be hard."   
Harry took her face firmly in his hands. "We'll make it through that. I'll tell you what. Once a week, at midnight, I'll use floo powder and pop into the Gryffindor fire. I did it with Sirius all the time."   
"Really?" Ginny asked, beaming with happiness. "You'd do that?"   
"Anything for you," Harry replied, smiling. "And of course, we can still write, and you can come and stay at Grimmauld Place during Christmas and Easter holidays."   
"Yeah," Ginny said distantly, not looking at Harry.   
"Something else bothering you?" Harry asked, looking at her curiously.   
She nodded shyly. "And what about after I get out of Hogwarts. W-What are we going to do?"   
Harry avoided her glance, knowing what she was talking about. He cleared his throat and looked at the sky. "Well, I suppose we could, you know, get married or something."   
"Oh, Harry!" Ginny squealed, throwing herself at him as she kissed his cheek. He blushed as he patted her back.

"They're so cute," Tonks said to Lily, sighing. "Young and in love."   
"I bet if they had a kid, it would look like Harry," Sirius said proudly.   
"Like me," James added proudly, puffing out his chest.   
"Don't flatter yourself," Lily said to James, rolling her eyes and slapping him playfully. "He'd have _my_ eyes."   
"Well, he'd have _my_ elegant hair." Sirius snorted and looked away, sweeping his own long hair out of his eyes.   
"You never know," Lily responded, matter-of-factly. "Ginny has pretty bright hair." James opened his mouth to talk, but closed it.   
"Well, Harry's already following in my footsteps," he bragged, a few seconds later. "Head Boy and quidditch captain this year."   
"I'm surprised," Sirius said, sounding a little shocked as he closed his eyes and watched Harry at the beginning of the school year. "Before, Dumbledore thought Harry had too much going on to deal with extra stuff. He must have changed his mind."   
"He must have," James replied, sounding far too proud of his son to worry about why Dumbledore had changed his mind. "Look, it's almost time for the first quidditch match! Slythering vs. Gryffindor; this should be fun." He leaned back onto Lily to watch.

"Shake hands," Madam Hooch was saying, eying the team captains. "And let's have a cleangame." Draco Malfoy, the Slytherin captain, glared at Harry as he inched his hand forward. Glaring right back, Harry grasped his hand, half expecting to find that Malfoy had spit on it, and let go after two seconds.   
"Mount you brooms....and...." Madam Hooch blew the whistle as she tossed the quaffle into the sky. Harry kicked hard off the ground, soaring into the air. He looked around to see who was in possession, and saw it was Ginny.   
"All right!" he cheered, as she zoomed past him, hotly persued by two Slytherin chasers.   
"Think you're going to get the cup this year, do you Potter?" Harry whirled his firebolt around and came face to face with Draco Malfoy.   
"Yes, I think we will," he snarled, trying to look behind Malfoy for signs of the snitch.   
"Well," Malfoy said slowly, looking as if he was searching for something to say. "I think..." Harry was no longer listening, but was instead watching Malfoy's face. His eyes would flicker ever so often to the right as he stumbled for words to say to Harry. Then, unless Harry was very much mistaken, he winked.   
In an instant, Harry flattened himself on his broom, and not two seconds later, a bludger from behind, carefully aimed at where his head would have been, hurled through the air. And as Harry looked up, he saw that Malfoy was the one who had been hit, and was falling to the ground, screaming for dear life.

With Malfoy out of the way, a Gryffindor victory seemed imminent. Harry smirked at the dumbstruck beaters, then speed off to the other end of the field, where he began his search for the snitch. Unfortunately, the Slytherin beaters, furious that Harry had outsmarted them, flew quickly behind.   
"Oh, bloody," Harry muttered, as he dodged another bludger aimed at him. He looped the beaters and dashed to the center of the field, where Ginny was passing the quaffle.   
"Ginny," he gasped, clutching a stitch in his side. "They're after me, and it's all I can do to keep from getting hurt. Try to score as much as you can-their concentration is focused on me, so you won't have much of a-"   
Harry broke up as both he and Ginny flew away, separated by yet another bludger. Cursing, Harry bent over on his broom and swooped towards the field. He was faster than the beaters; he only had to keep moving.   
He pulled out of his dive and straightened up, chancing a quick look for the snitch. It was impossible; the game would go on for ages. And then he saw it, lurking around Ginny's head by the goalpost. "Ginny!" he shouted, speeding to her. "By your head!" She looked up, and flew so the snitch was caged between her and the quaffle she was holding. Harry grinned, and when he was close enough, she let it lose. The Gryffindor stands erupted into cheers as the snitch zoomed nicely into Harry's open palm.

"Yes!" James shouted, punching his fist into the air. "That's _my_ son!"   
"Yes, yes, we know," Lily said, rolling her eyes as several startled birds took flight. But she was grinning nonetheless.   
"I knew he could do it," Sirius said, patting James on the back. "And that trick he pulled on Malfoy was pretty awesome. Too bad it didn't kill him."   
"You know what I was just thinking?" Lily asked, changing the conversation.   
"What?" asked James, still grinning about his son's victory.   
"The seventh year Winter Formal will be coming up after Halloween. Do you think he will be taking Ginny?" James shrugged, and turned back to Sirius to talk quidditch tactics.   
"Oo, the Winter Formal!" Tonks squealed in delight, moving closer to Lily. "I hope he does. Is Ginny even allowed to go if she isn't a seventh year?"   
"I think so," Lily said, frowning. "If a seventh year asks you, I think you can go."   
"I remember my Winter Formal," Tonks said dreamily. "I went with a complete idoit, but he was so cute. And I did my hair in long blond curls, and my dress robes were red..." she trailed off.   
"I went with a complete idiot too," Lily grumbled, jabbing her thumb back at James, who looked up and began to protest, although he didn't completely know what he was protesting. "It's my misfortune that I married the idiot as well." Tonks giggled.   
"So what kind of robes do you think Ginny should wear?" Tonks gushed, putting a finger to her mouth. I think pale blue would look good-"   
"And her hair!" Lily jumped in excitedly. "She should pull half of it back and-"   
"What about curls? I've always thought that redheads look good in..." And so Lily and Tonks planned out Harry and Ginny's winter formal for them, spending many a day walking down the golden streets of heaven discussing hair and robes, feeling much like teenagers again.

Harry hadn't forgotten about the upcoming Winter Formal either, for notices were put on the Gryffindor bulletin board early November. Ginny pointed it out, and then strolled over and began to read it silently.   
"So do you want to go?" Harry asked Ginny, looping his arm through hers.   
  
"Of course!" she responded, her eyes glowing. "What should I wear? And what about my hair..." Harry groaned and let himself be led away.   
Ginny continued on in this style all through December, and it was quite confusing Harry. He thought she had finally decided on pink dress robes, when the next day she was comtemplating turquoise.   
Hermione was no help either; she was going with Ron, and when Harry was trying to get some work done, she'd come up and ask whether her hair looked better up or down. He'd smiled politely, and give Hermione his opinion, which only resulted in more questioning.   
Finally, it was the eve two days before the students would be leaving for Christmas holiday, and the Formal was to be the next day. Harry was up late, trying to do the homework piled on him in preparation of the NEWTS. Ginny had finally decided to wear pale blue robes, with her hair in gentle waves. Or so he thought.   
"Harry, do you think regular curls would be better? I've experimented with waves before, although the muggle way, and it didn't look very good." She sat down next to him, and he looked up, suddenly realizing that it was so late that the common room was completely deserted.

"I think you'll look good no matter what," Harry said firmly, stifling a yawn.   
"Aw, you're so sweet!" Ginny said. And then in the same breath - "Now, Hermione's wearing her hair down, and she's decided on blue robes as well. Do you think I should wear my hair up so we look different? But our robes are different shades of course, otherwise..." Ginny continued to discuss robes until she looked over at Harry and discovered he was asleep.   
Looking at the clock on the wall, Ginny saw that it was quite late indeed, and discovered that she was rather tired as well. In fact, she was too tired to go return to the dorm. Resting her head on the arm of the chair, she fell asleep instantly.   
Hours later, she woke abruptly, not even knowing she had fallen asleep. Her heart pounding, she looked for the source of the disturbance that had brought her back to conciousness. Ginny didn't have to look far; it was Harry, shaking uncontrollably on the floor, his hands clutching his scar.   
"What is it?" she cried, holding him and rocking him gently. It was a few moments before he was able to speak, and he jumped to his feet.   
"I have to see McGonagall." He told her, heading for the portrait hole. "I forgot to do my Occlumency, I was too tired to-"   
"Why?" Ginny asked, sprinting to catch up with him. "What happened? Surely we should go to Dumbledore instead?"

"What happened?" Sirius said anxiously, sitting up. For they had all been blinded by the coming of winter in heaven, a glorious season beyond all measures of earthly beauty. Even Tonks and Lily were enjoying themselves too much to be bothered with the upcoming Formal.   
They looked around at one another, bewildered, then closed their eyes to view the incident that had so disturbed Harry. The angels watched with varying degrees of fear and shock, until at last, Lily shouted out.   
"It's not true, it can't be!" Tonks looked mournfully at her as James went to comfort his wife.   
"I am afraid," a new, wearied voice said. "It _is_ true." The venerable wizard swished his robes about him and took a seat next to the others. "Tom finally got the better of me."   
There was complete silence as the four looked, awestruck, at Dumbledore. He had died valiantly, fighting for the fate of the wizarding world. The Order had worked to find Voldemort's whereabouts, and so they went, only to lose their most important member.

The next morning, the Great Hall was covered in black drapes, and Harry took his seat, feeling as if there would never be daylight again. The blackness crept between the students and engulfed them in its morose mourning, and it seemed to be seeping from his very heart. Harry sat silently between Ron and Ginny, staring at his plate.   
"Attention please!" Professor McGonagall rapped he spoon against her goblet, addressing the students with a shaky voice. A black scarf was tied around her head. Harry looked up, hearing her voice, but not truly seeing her; for her was blinded from the blackness.   
"As many of you are already aware, Professor Dumbledore was m-murdered by He-Who-Must-Not-Be-Named last night." The few students who hadn't know about this looked at one another as the blackness came to receive them. Professor McGonagall removed her spectacles and cleaned them on her robes before continuing.   
"Therefore, I am the new Headmistress." Her hands began to shake. "And in my absence, Professor Jones shall be taking up the post of Transfiguration." She jerkily took a seat as the new teacher rose to nod to the students before sitting down and patting McGonagall on the shoulder.

"They'll move on," Dumbledore said sadly. "They have too." And so the witches and wizards on Earth were indeed forced to move on, and there were some who said Dumbledore did not receive the mourning he deserved.   
This, of course, was unintended. With the wizard's death, the magical world was thrown into chaos. Dumbledore-a figure everyone had expected to be present-was gone. There was no control. Muggle totures took place daily, and wizards fled, not bothering the Breech of Secrecy. The Ministry officials could barely keep up with all the memory charms they had to perform.   
For Harry Potter, it was a rude awakening. There was no one to protect him and come to the rescue any more. He was thrown from his dream world with Ginny into the harsh reality of real life. Ginny and Hermione, who had taken Dumbledore's death rather badly, talked together mournfully in the common room while Harry and Ron forced themselves to talk instead of things to come.

Harry, Ron, Ginny and Hermione all decided to leave Hogwarts for Christmas vacation, and went instead to Grimmauld Place. Lupin, Tonks, and the rest of the Weasley's were there as well, so the holiday was quite merry. Despite this, Harry knew this cheeriness was all fake, covering the hollow place in all their hearts. Dumbledore was gone-who would they turn to?   
It seemed Professor McGonagall had taken Dumbledore's position in the Order, for she was frequently at Grimmauld Place over break, and looked extremely stressed out. All the order members for that matter were looking rather fatigued. They were all busy trying to control the chaos in both muggle and wizard London.   
In fact, it was so dangerous, Ginny was not allowed out of the house. Hermione had suggested that they walk to Diagon Alley for Christmas shopping, but only Hermione, Ron, and Harry were allowed, for they were of age. Ginny shot Mrs. Weasley a look of loathing before storming up the steps.   
Mrs. Weasley was quite right not to let Ginny out on the streets. The moment Harry, Ron and Hermione got into downtown muggle London, they found police officers trying to take cover from deuling wizards. Ministry Wizards were trying to control the situation and failed dismally.

"Should we do something?" Hermione asked, biting her lip.   
Harry paused and turned to look at the scene before him. "No," he replied softly, opening the door to the Leaky Cauldron. "It's too risky."   
"Since when were you afraid to take risks?" Ron asked, surprised.   
Harry sighed and didn't answer. "Where do you want to go?" He took out his wand and began to tap the bricks behind the Leaky Cauldron. "We could stop at Fred and George's joke shop. We could all use a little humor."   
"I wanted to get some things for my parents," Hermione said quickly. "If that's alright with you two."   
Harry nodded. "That's fine. I should probably get something for Ginny first. What do you think she would like?"   
"Well," Hermione said, pausing to think. "She just bought new dress robes for the Formal after months of saving, so I don't think she needs any of those. I suppose you could get her something from the joke shop."   
"Nah," Ron muttered. "Fred and George have already given her what she wanted from the store. She wants a new broom, but those are expensive."   
"I've got a better idea," Harry said softly, looking up at a store he had never been in before. "You two go on together. I'll be a while." With that, he ducked into the building, while Ron and Hermione were left on the sidewalk, where the snow began to fall upon them.

An hour later, Harry caught up with Ron and Hermione inside a warm and cozy coffee shop. "What took you so long?" Ron grumbled, pulling out a seat for him.   
"There was a large, erm, selection," Harry said looking at the ceiling as he took his seat.   
"So what did you get her?" Hermione asked shrewdly, eyeing Harry.   
"I'm sure you'll find out sooner or later," He replied, looking at the list of coffees available. "Did you two get anything?"   
"Oh yeah," Ron said, nodding. "We both got you presents, and I got stuff for all my brothers and Ginny."   
"And you're going off with Harry after this, and you're going to get me something, aren't you?" Hermione asked him sweetly, smiling.   
"Yeah, sure..." Ron said distractedly as Harry saw him sneak a look into his money bag to see if he had any left.   
"Did you get anything?" Harry asked Hermione.   
"Yeah, I got some books for my mum and dad. It was a pain too, finding books that a muggle would read." She rolled her eyes. "And I got Ginny a book of the latest beauty spells."   
"That sounds nice," Harry told her, nodding. "So are you ready to go, Ron?" He nodded, and stood up.   
"I'll meet you back in the Leaky Cauldron in two hours," Hermione said, looking at the two of them. They nodded and returned to the street, where a store-owner was running after a crook who, although fully hidden, had a strange resemblance to Mundungus.

"Did you see what he got her?" Lily squealed, grabbing her husband's wrist. "Did you see what he got her?"   
"Yes, and don't have a heart attack," James said, grinning as he massaged his wrist. "I'm personally more interested in the removable broomstick paint Ron got him. Just think of it! You can paint whatever you'd like onto your broom and then it'll come right off whenever you want it too! I wish..." He trailed off at the look on Lily's face. "What?"   
"You're so insensitive," She grumbled, standing up. "Go talk to Sirius and Dumbledore about your stupid finger paints. I have better things to discuss with Tonks."   
Rolling her eyes and flipping her auburn hair haughtily, she stomped away down a forest path. "I didn't mean it!" James yelled after her. "Whatever I said," he added in an undertone.

Christmas on earth was a merry affair. Harry got many presents, including the usual sweater from Mrs. Weasley. Fred and George supplied Harry with a lifetime's supply of joke shop merchandise, including their world-renown fireworks. Ginny gave Harry scrapbook she had been working on for months, which had pictures of the two of them together, and a few of Hermione and Ron. Harry grinned and gave her a kiss when he received this present, for he hadn't wanted much, and her gift was truly from the heart.   
he only thing bothering Harry on Christmas was Ginny's gift. He wanted to give it to her in private, and was extremely nervous as to her reaction. Finally, when the day was turning to night, Harry asked Ginny to accompany him on a snowy stroll around the backyard.   
I really love your present," He told her, fingering something in the pocket of his robes.   
I'm glad," Ginny said playfully looping her arm through his. "And where is mine, I might add." She grinned.   
Erm, that's why I brought you out here," Harry said, stammering. "I wanted to give it to you in private."   
Why?" Ginny asked curiously. "Is it something that my mum-" She stopped and stared at Harry, who had gotten down on one knee. "Oh my god."   
Ginny, will you marry me?" Harry asked, his face bright red. "I know you have an entire year of school left, and that we can't get married right away, but I want to know that sometime, even if we have to wait years, if you will marry me."

Ginny stared. "You want me to-to-what did you say?"

"Marry me," Harry whispered into her ear, cradling her in his arms. "Not now, but sometime down the road." There was silence. "Say yes," he murmured, brushing away her hair.

"Of course I will!" she replied, tears rolling down her cheeks. "I love you,-I want to get married right away!" She buried her head into his shoulder. "But I'll wait because I love you so much." Harry smiled and sighed as relief flooded through his body. He took her hand and slid the ring upon her finger where it shone and sparkled as if the radiance of a star had been captured within it.

Ginny, who had momentarily forgotten the ring in her happiness turned to gaze at it. "It's gorgeous," she whispered. "Thank you, I love it so much! I hope you didn't spend a terrible amount." Her forehead wrinkled with concern.

"It was nothing," Harry said lightly, which of course it wasn't. "Are you going to tell your parents now, or are you going to wait?"

"Er, I think I'll tell them now," she said, sniffling. "I imagine they'll be ever so excited. They were ecstatic when Bill announced his engagement to Fleur last month, and they were in their sixth year when they decided they wanted to get married. I can't wait to see what mum says!" Ginny wiped away a few tears, for she was still crying, then skipped up to the house. Grinning, Harry chased after her.

"Ginny, what's wrong?" Molly Weasley asked her daughter as she levitated potatoes into the sink. "Why are you crying?" At that moment, Harry, out of breath, burst into the kitchen after her. "Did you break up with her?" Mrs. Weasley asked, pointing her wand threateningly at Harry.

"No mum," Ginny said, bouncing on her feet.

"Then whatever is it?" Mrs. Weasley asked, bewildered. Ginny flashed a shy smile at Harry before turning to her mother and holding up her hand.

"Oh, Ginny," Molly breathed, holding her hand in front of her eyes. "It's huge!"

"Mum!" Ginny said, laughing. "We're engaged now."

"Oh!" Mrs. Weasley said, her eyes even wider as she began to cry as well. "My little girl is getting-ARTHUR, GET IN HERE!"

Arthur bustled into the kitchen, a guilty look on his face. "Honey, I can explain. See, I only-" He studied his wife's face. "Why are you crying?" He looked at Ginny. "Why is she crying?" He looked at Harry. "Did you break up with her?"

"No dad," Ginny laughed through her tears. "We're engaged! We're going to get married sometime after I leave Hogwarts!"

It took a few moments for it to sink in for Mr. Weasley, but after a while, he embraced his daughter and shook Harry's hand. "Welcome to the family, Harry," he repeated while grasping his wife's hand in remembrance of young love.

From outside the kitchen, Lupin was looking in proudly, while Ron had his arm around Hermione, who was silently crying. 'Bloody,' he thought. 'Now Hermione's going to expect me to propose to her!' Gulping, he watched the scene in the kitchen, trying to figure out exactly how he would ask Hermione.

"Lily!" James bellowed, stumbling noisily through the pine forest to find her. "Harry and Ginny are engaged!"

"It took you long enough to realize it, didn't you?" Lily shot at him, stepping from behind a tree. Turning her back on him, she dried her eyes on her robes. "What else did you think he got the ring for? A nice present for the new headmistress?"

"Of course not," James said, abashed. "I, er, just wasn't sure if he was going to go through with it. It takes a lot of guts to ask a girl to marry you." He averted his eyes, for truthfully he had never noticed what his son had gotten Ginny.

"Oh, James," Lily said, beginning to cry once more and she ran to her husband. James, who was quite startled, rocked her in his arms. "Remember when you proposed to me?"

James smiled to himself. "Why of course. You were wearing emerald green robes to match your stunning eyes, and your hair was slightly windblown, which gave me the excuse to brush it from your face. We were on the Hogwart's Express, heading home after our seventh year. I led you into an empty compartment, and I remember you were quite annoyed with me for taking you from your friends."

Lily laughed, and began to dance slowly with her husband around the clearing. "And then what?"

"Well," James said with a smirk, "You told me to hurry up with whatever it was so you could go back to admiring your friend Renee's new dress robes." Lily giggled some more. "And then, I told you that it wouldn't take very long, and all I wanted to do was ask you a question."

"And you got down on one knee, brought out my ring, and asked me to marry you," Lily finished, her voice quavering.

"And you never returned to finish admiring Renee's dress robes," James whispered into her ear."

Lily ran her fingers through his hair. "Our boy is getting married."

Far off in the distance, Tonks and Sirius, hand in hand, beheld Lily and James. "I love you," he whispered to her.

"I love you too," Tonks murmured back, snuggling close to him.

Behind a tree nearby, Dumbledore and his wife were slow dancing as well, for love never fades with time.

After the Christmas holidays, the children returned to Hogwarts, where they found exam preparation was to take place. Harry barely had time to spend with Ginny, for he and Ron were always off in some corner of the common room, looking up useful information for their NEWTS. Hermione, who had always carefully planned out her exam schedule, would tut at them from afar while she knitted gloves for the house-elves. At times, Harry would amuse himself with the image of Dobby in all the things Hermione had knitted in the past three years, until a sharp prod from Ron would bring him back to his books.

Easter was a nice break from all the homework and studying, for Ron and Harry were able to finish everything assigned to them without more work accumulating. What Harry was really looking forward to, though, was the last Hogsmeade trip of the year. Finally, he would be able to spend a little time with his fiancé.

Things in Hogsmeade were not much better off than things in Diagon Alley. Wizards in black cloaks and hoods were roaming the streets and cursing unsuspecting witches and wizards. "Harry!" Ginny squeaked, pulling him into the Three Broomsticks. "Are those Death Eaters?"

He nodded grimly, wondering if it had been such a good idea to come here after all. "They've done this before, ever since their most recent escape from Azkaban," a witch said, wringing her hands. She had just rushed into the Three Broomsticks as well, in order to escape the terror of the streets. "Ministry officials will be here soon enough."

The witch peered at Harry, who was watching the scene avidly, his jaw clenched. "You're Harry Potter, aren't you?" she asked, her eyes flickering to his forehead." He nodded. "You might want to pull your hood over your head," the witch warned, looking gravely at him. "They'll come after you if they recognize you." Harry was too busy watching the streets of Hogsmeade to hear, so Ginny pulled his hood over his forehead for him.

"You needn't do that, Weasley," a drawling voice said from the shadows. Both Ginny and Harry whirled around, face to face with a smirking Draco, who was holding his wand out in front of him. "You see, I know where you are, Potter," he whispered, closing in. "And I'm going to take you to my father, so he can finish you off."

"Too scared to do it yourself?" Harry challenged, grasping his wand as he stepped in front of Ginny. "Or does your dear old daddy order you to bring me to him?"

Malfoy's eyes narrowed. "My father isn't the one who wants you. It's You-Know-Who. He's out there, and my father is going to see it that you are delivered to him."

"I'm scared now," Harry spat, although he truly was frightened, but not letting it show.

"Imperio!" Malfoy bellowed at Harry, who felt the familiar giddy feeling wash over him. 'Go outside,' a voice was telling him. 'Go outside…" But Harry had too much experience with this sort of thing to let Malfoy control him.

"Expelliarmus!" Harry shouted, reaching to grab Malfoy's wand as it soared towards him. "Stupify!" he roared, pointing Malfoy's own wand at his chest. All was quiet as the witches and wizards taking refuge in the shop stared in horror.

"Ginny, stay here. I've got to go see if Voldemort is really out there."

"No Harry, don't go," she cried, tears in her eyes. "He might kill you."

"I know, but I'm the only one who can kill him. It was prophesized long before my birth. I might as well try to kill him now. It's better than living for years in fear." Harry pulled his cloak over his head. "I love you," he whispered, taking a final look at her stricken face before disappearing into the street.

Trying not too look back, he ran through the nearly empty street, trying to avoid spells aimed at him. _Malfoy planned it,_ he thought bitterly. _He told his father that our Hogsmeade trip was today so that Voldemort could attack me._ Knowing this did not help his current situation.

"Harry!" a distant voice shouted. He whipped around and saw a small hunched figure running to him, red hair flying out from beneath the hood.

"Ginny, you shouldn't have come!" he told her desperately. "Your life will be in danger."

"I don't care," she cried. "I want to be with you." He hugged her and over her shoulder, saw that the Death Eaters were advancing.

"Run like hell," he told her, grabbing his fiancé's hand and leading her down a side-street. "They know it's me!" he added, the wind greedily stealing the words from his lips.

"This way!" he shouted, turning abruptly into a dark alley. The problem was, there was already somebody there.

"Oh, wonderful," Voldemort said, smiling brightly and lowering his hood. Ginny gasped and grabbed Harry's arm. "And you brought your girlfriend too! This is quite splendid." He clasped his spidery fingers together.

"You can kill me, and Ginny," Harry said, raising his wand. "But we're not going without a fight. And either way, you won't find happiness in murdering us. You think you will find happiness in gaining domination of the world, and by cheating death. But you won't. You never will. To be happy you must be loved, and love in return. This will never happen to you."

Harry had touched a nerve. "It's not my bloody fault my mother died in labor, not giving her the chance to love me. And it's not my bloody fault that my father didn't love me. Why should I love when none love me?" Voldemort bellowed.

Harry stared at him in pity, rather than fear. "You never let anyone have the chance," he whispered.

"Avada Kedavra!" Voldemort shouted maniacally as the dark alley flashed with the brilliance of the curse. Harry felt the curse hit him in the chest as Ginny's screams filled the air. He fell to the ground, but he was still alive.

Ginny rushed to him sobbing as rain began to pour from the sky. "Harry," she cried, holding his hand. He tried to smile and squeeze her hand, but he felt the live pouring out of himself already. "He's dead." She told him, lying her head upon his chest.

"My mother's protection worked again. It rebounded onto him. But it wasn't as strong. For me anyways," Harry said, smiling. Ginny neither understood or cared.

"Are you okay?" Ginny asked, holding his hand even tighter.

"I'm fine. But I'm leaving now," Harry said softly, his eyes closing. "I'll see you on the other side. I love you." He exhaled once more, and Ginny was left to sob over his body in the dark, wet and deserted alley.

When Harry opened his eyes, he saw not Harry, but his parents. He ran to them like a small child, and they embraced for what seemed eternity. When they let go, he saw the faces of Sirius, Tonks and Dumbledore smiling proudly upon him "Welcome home, Harry," Lily whispered. "Welcome home." And so the six of them, arm in arm, walked together upon the golden paths of heaven under the rainbow and into the sunset.

note After Harry Potter's death, Ginny Weasley no long wore the engagement ring upon her finger, but on a chain under her robes where is was closest to her heart. She never married until she joined Harry in heaven.

__

Sorry I never told you   
All I wanted to say.   
And now it's too late to hold you,   
'Cause you've flown away, so far away.

Never had I imagined   
Living without your smile.   
Feeling, and knowing you hear me,   
It keeps me alive, alive.

And I know you're shining down on me from heaven,   
Like so many friends we've lost along the way.   
And I know eventually we'll be together   
One sweet day.


End file.
